Makeup tips for brunettes

Feb 25, 2011 1:54 PM by Kori Ellis

Posted in Beauty & Style / Makeup & Skin Care

Best Makeup Colors
For Brown Hair

When selecting your makeup, consider your skin tone, eye color and of course, your hair color. To look your best, follow these makeup tips for brunettes.

Brunette woman with natural makeup

Brunette women are among the most versatile when it comes to makeup colors because most shades complement their lovely dark locks.

"Regardless of skin color, brunettes can generally get away with more color on their face," says SheKnows Beauty Expert Nina Sutton. "On the eyes, brunettes with brown eyes look great in brown and violet tones. If you have black hair and blue eyes, try slate grey with charcoal liner and if you have brown hair/blue eyes, try golden brown with brown liner and mascara."

Brunettes, Use rich lip color

Most of the time, pale pink lipstick and blush don't flatter brunettes. Women with dark brown hair should play with richer colors of makeup instead. Tawny or spicy red lip color look great on women with medium to dark brown hair. Coral or peach lip and cheek shades are terrific complements to light brown hair.

eye makeup and blush colors

Put the emphasis on your eyes with highly-pigmented shadow, smudged eyeliner and two coats of dark brown mascara. Brunettes with brown eyes can use almost any color of eye shadow. Green-eyed brunettes look awesome with purple shadow and charcoal eyeliner. Keep the rest of your face natural with barely-there cheek color and just a touch of lip gloss.

Nina advises, "On the cheeks and lips, brunettes look great in warm pinks, rosy browns and bronzers. A great look to try: apply bronzer to the cheeks and up towards the eyes. Follow with a hint of warm pink blush on the apples of the cheeks. Reds need to be chosen carefully- brunettes should choose a blue-red; otherwise they can look clown-like. For anyone wearing red lipstick, a rule of thumb is light cheeks and eye makeup to off-set the bold lip color."

As for eyebrows, they should be 1-2 shades lighter than hair color to soften the face, says Nina.

Consider your highlights

When selecting your cosmetics, consider not just your main hair color but also your highlights. Brunettes with true blonde highlights can wear makeup with pink undertones better than brown eyed girls with red highlights can.

Remember: If you have dark hair, stick to richer colors of makeup with the spicy reds, peaches and corals in your lipstick and the deep eyeshadow tones for your eyes.